Blogger-Approved Winter Dinner Party Ideas

Last night I had a crazy dream. It was the holidays and I was watching a friend prep a family dinner in the kitchen. She had a black and white puppy. Totally adorable. She was rubbing oil on his fur as he gazed at her trustingly. Then she put a large silver pot on the stove, and gently placed the puppy in the pot. After a few seconds I realized that she meant to cook the puppy for dinner. That’s when I reached into the pot and pulled the puppy into my arms. As I did, he transformed into an equally adorable baby cow, and started licking my face. That’s when I woke up to my cat, Calie, licking my cheek.

Or… maybe my dream wasn’t all that crazy. In Asia, people actually do this (eat dogs and cats). So what’s the difference, really, between us eating a turkey or rabbit and them eating a dog or a cat? Nothing, that’s what. All animals are the same, really. They all have thoughts, feelings, fears, desires, autonomy, etc. Just like humans do. Killing them and cutting them up to eat is quite simply an unnecessary cruelty.

In fact, filling your plate with plants and grains has been proven time and time again to be the healthier option — not just for your own personal longevity and appearance, but for the planet. Even Arnold agrees. So please — join me this holiday in celebrating the cruelty-free way: with a delicious vegan dinner!

Here are a few fantastic meal plans from chef bloggers I really admire:

A writer, artist, and designer since she was young enough to put pencil to paper, Hilary taught herself code and created Urbanette when she was a teenager. Currently, she lives in Monte Carlo, but spent the past decade living in NYC, still considers herself a New Yorker, and visits regularly. She's always traveling, looking for hot new topics, destinations, and life hacks to bring to Urbanette readers.

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Reader Discussion: 247 Comments

Keisha Fry

What a completely amazing round up of extremely delicious vegan festive food! We should all share this post on our social media accounts to show those who think that we vegans don’t get to eat anything delicious. So sick and tired of people’s misjudgment on veganism. They know nothing. Yet all they do is criticize!

Seeing all those delicious foods made me feel so hungry. Running to the kitchen to make some kale salad as soon as I’m done taking notes about what to cook for Xmas out of this list. I DO make a mean kale salad by the way! 😉

Eating out isn’t usually associated with eating healthy, but a vegan diet ensures there will be a lot less of the bad things in the food you choose. I hope a lot of us will start eating better especially this holiday season. We all know how we enjoy a feast and it’s better to just fill our tables with better vegan options.

There’s a stereotype that vegans are skinny and weak. And it’s a deserved one because so many vegans have always been exactly that. As the plant-based fitness movement grows, this is beginning to change. But keep in mind that even though you are aware of this shift because you’re so closely involved in it, most people have no clue about this. To them, vegans are still skinny and weak, by necessity.

Growing plants takes much fewer resources than growing animals. By eating vegan, you can help reduce the toll on the environment. For the holiday season, always know that it’s best to go with the healthier alternative.